Ah, I see, flac files at home and 320 kbps rips on portables. Why not archive everything in 320 kbps, save some disc space and they sound the same anyway? Why not flac on your portable as well, that is what I do instead of messing with MP3 lossy conversions? I would be interested to know what 24/192 HDCD's you have? I understood the HDCD was a CD with 20 bits encoded to 16 bits, what is your definition of HDCD? Maybe that is where I am confused!

Just got up this morning (NZ time and read last few pages). The difference you are likely hearing comparing your high-res with red book is two completely different masterings (which is why you hear the difference). Eke was suggesting you take your high-res, convert it to lossy, abx it, and see if you still hear the difference. That means that you MUST be using the same source (mastering), and the only difference is compression and container. There is a how-to here : http://www.head-fi.org/t/655879/setting-up-an-abx-test-simple-guide-to-ripping-tagging-transcoding

It's over to you whether you do it or not - but if you take the time it is quite enlightening. The importance is comparing the same mastering.

Back OTT - @ Roguegeek - I also like cans with a bit of sparkle (SR325i, DT880, K701) - and I do find the HD600 provides the perfect amount of sparkle.

Back OTT - @ Roguegeek - I also like cans with a bit of sparkle (SR325i, DT880, K701) - and I do find the HD600 provides the perfect amount of sparkle.

Yeah, the more I read, the more hopeful I become. I've definitely been avoiding these for quite a long time because I generally don't enjoy warm headphones. The veil stigma hasn't helped either. I feel like I'm facing some fears here.

It's an interesting one - because I would regard these as perfectly natural rather than bright. People who talk about the 'Sennheiser veil" often seem to prefer brighter cans. That to me is more preference for a brighter signature, rather than proof of an actual veil existing.

The other thing I found was that insufficient amping can lead to more of supposed 'veil' being present. The more you give them, the more they seem to reveal.

I've never found them veiled anyway - although for some music I still prefer my brighter cans.

Just got up this morning (NZ time and read last few pages). The difference you are likely hearing comparing your high-res with red book is two completely different masterings (which is why you hear the difference). Eke was suggesting you take your high-res, convert it to lossy, abx it, and see if you still hear the difference. That means that you MUST be using the same source (mastering), and the only difference is compression and container. There is a how-to here : http://www.head-fi.org/t/655879/setting-up-an-abx-test-simple-guide-to-ripping-tagging-transcoding

It's over to you whether you do it or not - but if you take the time it is quite enlightening. The importance is comparing the same mastering.

Back OTT - @ Roguegeek - I also like cans with a bit of sparkle (SR325i, DT880, K701) - and I do find the HD600 provides the perfect amount of sparkle.

Thank you Brooko. I was about to give a lesson on analog to digital conversion but I'll stay on topic. I was between the HD600 and the DT 880 for a while. What pushed me over the edge and led me to buy the 600s was the treble. Every once in a while you find a recording where they have a hot "s" sound. It almost made me wince with out sharp it sounded on the DT880. On the HD600 it's still noticeable but it doesn't pull you out of the music. My only wish for this headphones is that they were a little faster. I listen to music that's really fast and sometimes it seems like they have trouble keeping up, especially in the low region. It could very well be my music is compressed to all hell (even in FLAC). Finally @eke, I think they're great for rock if you love guitar. The mids are so good on these but the low end lacks attack.

umm..... the Conductor was the last amp. The difference? More authority to the bass, crisper, cleaner presentation, extended crisp highs .... it's almost like a different headphone. I was used to it with the Bifrost/Lyr, and don't get me wrong, it sounds great with those, but the Conductor.... seemed to take away that slight graininess in the highs, sounded like a higher-tier headphone. That's the mark of great scalability.

Hi everyone. I've been listening to my new HD600+O2/ODAC combo for a few days now, everything came in last week. I don't have much experience with sound quality, the gear and what not so I've been going off reviews and other people's opinions on this pair. Simply put, it sounds amazing. I mostly listen to chillstep and they're doing magic. It just makes the experience so much better.

I'm coming here from some steeleries gaming headphones, so pretty much bottom of the bottom in terms of sound quality and I feel like I couldn't have spent my money better. The only thing that kinda bothers me is the whole stereo thing, heh. For example listening to this song http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gT5hz3nDVgo, you can hear the "clapping" stronger from the left channel. There's other songs like that where it's the voice coming stronger off another channel, but then there's also "properly done" songs, at least in my opinion, where it's balanced, for example this song http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BR_DFMUzX4E. I don't know if it's because of the headphones, their ability to pick off these details I couldn't pick off before like in that 1st song but that's the only thing I don't like. Anyone sharing the same experience?

I don't hear any balance issues with my HD600 on any of my music, but then again, I don't have much music like the one you're having trouble with (I do have some house music, but most of what I have are metal/rock, jazz and classical). That said I do have a few ****ty recordings, but none have balance issues. I tried that track you're having trouble with on my computer speakers just now though and I can't detect any balance issues.

Yeah that's what I meant. The HD600 truly reveals how songs were recorded, something my previous headphones did not really reveal enough for it to be noticed. I guess you could say I was more used to slightly mono sound? I don't know, the Stereo effect being this clear is something new to me. It's not the case for every song of course, but whenever it is like in the Halo song, I can notice it if I look for it because it's subtle.

i'm buying these in the next few months in the usa, can someone give me advice on how to get a satisfying sound in the the $600 total range. (for headphones + something else)

using the headphones with a pc (asus z68 pro motherboard), and cd player in which i currently own nothing except my current headphones (a900x).

my main desire is to bathe in the ethereal waters of the instruments, upgrading to the a900x previously i started to have a great appreciation for the instrumentals on music whereas in the past i mainly liked the vocals/lyrics, which in turn has led me to explore alot of the older music where real instruments were used instead of all the electronics of today, hearing those bass lines and guitar riffs on those older tracks is an awesome experience and that's what i'm looking for more of... to be hit simultaneously by the bass/guitar/drums but also being able to separate them as well.

where you can close your eyes and every bit of instrumentation hits you, that's a lower quality youtube video but the song sounds good on my a900x so i'm hoping i can find an upgrade in the 600.

any advice on what direction to go to where i can bathe in the instrumentation of a song like the above? every riff, every beat, every moment?

do i go with a soundcard, or an amp, or dac? my ideal bet would be a setup that enables to me to get satisfaction out of my pc use and a cd player as well... but if i can only go with one i suppose i'd try and make the best out of my pc solution first and then maybe go later for a second non pc option.

i don't have a perfectionist ear so luckily i don't require the best of the best, what is "medium" to some is probably pure bliss to me.